Making great biscuits: A step-by-step and a video to help you achieve flaky perfection

Devoted fans of pie have been following Kate McMillan, the owner of Lauretta Jean's pie shops, since she started selling her crusty, flaky, fruity pies at the Portland Farmers Market in 2011. The Lauretta Jean's empire now includes two brick-and-mortar shops -- a shoebox-sized corner cafe at Southwest Sixth Avenue and Southwest Pine Street, and brand-new digs on Southeast Division.

Her pies are legendary, but McMillan's biscuits -- crispy on the outside with a downy, flaky center that tastes of sweet butter and tangy buttermilk -- deserve just as much cult-like devotion. It's a natural progression from pie dough to biscuits, says the pixy-like pastry chef. "The process is really similar: Cut cold fat into flour, add liquid and don't overhandle the dough."[

For superior flavor and rise, McMillan recommends European-style butter because it has a higher fat content than most grocery store brands, which yields a lighter, flakier crumb and richer flavor. She uses locally made Cremerie Classique unsalted butter at Lauretta Jean's.

The rest is all in the temperature of the ingredients and the deftness of the baker's hands. McMillan advises home bakers to preheat the oven and measure out and combine all the dry ingredients first. "Keep the butter and buttermilk as cold as possible until you're ready to use them. The colder the butter, the higher the biscuit will rise and the flakier it will be."

Once the butter is cut into the dough, don't dilly-dally, advises McMillan. Work quickly to bring the dough together and don't overhandle it. Once the buttermilk is added, it's just a quick toss with a fork and a few turns with your hands in the bowl to bring the dough together. "It's OK if the dough is a little crumbly. Don't fuss over it too much, or you'll end up with hockey pucks," she says.

McMillan prefers her biscuits with minimal adornment -- just a bit of cold butter and homemade strawberry jam. But Lauretta Jean's also serves biscuit and egg sandwiches, biscuits smothered in rich sausage gravy, and on weekends, biscuits served benedict-style with poached eggs, Otto's smoked ham and homemade hollandaise. It's a fittingly elegant finish for a humble but tricky baked good.

2 Pulse about 20 times until the butter is the size of peas (or use a pastry cutter to cut 1 butter in by hand).

3 Dump the flour-butter mixture into a large bowl. Pour the buttermilk over it.

4 Toss with a fork until clumps form.

5 Using your hands, gently knead just until the dough comes together; do not overwork the dough or the biscuits will be tough.

6 Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and pat it into a rough rectangle about 1-1/2 inches thick.

7 Use a 2-1/2 -inch biscuit cutter to cut out the dough, dipping the cutter in flour to keep it from sticking. Gather the scraps and lightly pat together to make a few more biscuits. Discard remaining dough.

8 Place the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet and brush tops with cream. Bake until golden brown, 20 to 22 minutes.

Lauretta Jean's Biscuits

Makes 10 to 12 biscuits

4 cups (1 pound, 4 ounces) all-purpose flour

1 tables poon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 cup (8 ounces) cold unsalted butter

1-3/4 cups cold buttermilk

1/4 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl or food processor, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar.

Cut the butter into large chunks and add them to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter or by pulsing the food processor, cut the butter into the flour until the lumps of butter are pea-sized (about 20 pulses).

Dump the flour-butter mixture into a large bowl. Shake the buttermilk in the container before measuring. Pour the buttermilk over the flour mixture and toss with a fork until clumps form. Using your hands, gently knead just until the dough comes together; do not overwork the dough or the biscuits will be tough.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and pat it into a rough rectangle about 1-1/2 inches thick. Use a 2-1/2 -inch biscuit cutter to cut out the dough, dipping the cutter in flour between cuts. Gather the scraps and lightly pat together to make a few more biscuits. Discard remaining dough.

Place the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet and brush tops with cream. Bake until golden brown, 20 to 22 minutes. -- From Kate McMillan, Lauretta Jean's, Portland